MacBook Pro 15" Stuck on Internet Recovery, Will Not Start from USB, -2004F error code given

My son attempted to erase our MacBook Pro 15" and now it is stuck on going through Internet Recovery. We receive the error code -2004F. We have tried several different internet connections and none work. We created a USB boot drive and cannot get the MacBook to boot from the USB either. It always goes to Internet Recovery and asks us to choose an internet connection. We cannot get to the desktop or recovery. MacBook only boots to spinning globe and then chooses an internet connection. How can we get this fixed?

MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Jan 16, 2024 7:31 PM

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Posted on Jan 17, 2024 5:08 PM

Your laptop has a T2 security chip, and as such the access to external boot devices may be limited. You'll want to take a look at this support document for guidance on how to set the allowed boot media and give permission to boot from an external device.

About Startup Security Utility on a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip - Apple Support


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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 17, 2024 5:08 PM in response to toddfromhuntersville

Your laptop has a T2 security chip, and as such the access to external boot devices may be limited. You'll want to take a look at this support document for guidance on how to set the allowed boot media and give permission to boot from an external device.

About Startup Security Utility on a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip - Apple Support


Jan 17, 2024 5:47 PM in response to toddfromhuntersville

In Internet Recovery, these low negative thousands error messages (between -1000 and -6000) indicate that your provided Wi-Fi Network is inadequate in some fashion, and cannot be used (for this purpose) in its current state.


Common problems include:

Hidden Network-name

required use of a proxy server to get Internet access

required use of a login page to get Internet access

Use of a login server or certificate to get Internet access

Use of PPPoE in the Mac to get Internet access (typically only applies to DSL)

Use of Fixed IP address rather than good old DHCP

Variance of the time by more than five minutes

Failure of Router to provide workable DNS server addresses, or providing 0.0.0.0 [may produce -2002f]


If you have an Ethernet port, you may in some cases be able to move your Mac close to the Router and connect to the Router using Ethernet.


The higher the number, the more obscure the problem.


If your battery was completely depleted, the Date&Time could have reverted to the default, which will not work. There is a terminal command to reset to current Internet Date&Time -- post back for assistance.

If your Mac starts up to error -1008F

If your Mac starts up to error -1008F - Apple Support


Jan 17, 2024 4:35 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

It is model A1990 EMC 3215 purchased in 2018. It was running Sonoma prior to erasing and resetting. I used those exact steps from Apple to create the USB bootable drive with Sonoma as well. The MacBook will not boot from the USB when <Option> is pressed on start up. It will only go to Internet Recovery and then will not finish that. I'm using a USB-C drive since that MacBook only has USB-C (Thunderbolt) connections.

Jan 17, 2024 5:27 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

Ive also seen this; however, like a lot of other folks has also noted this does not help if you cannot get the laptop past the Internet Recovery Screen. The laptop will ONLY go to Internet Recover. It will not go into Recovery mode or allow me to get to the normal desktop at all. Therefore, I'm not able to get to the settings to change this. The laptop ONLY boots up to the spinning globe and asks me to choose a wifi connection. Nothing else regardless of the keys or key combinations pressed. There must be a way to get past this.

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MacBook Pro 15" Stuck on Internet Recovery, Will Not Start from USB, -2004F error code given

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